


Miraculous Valentine's 2020

by seasonofthegeek



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Miraculous Valentine's event 2020, lots of fluffy love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:54:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22538098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasonofthegeek/pseuds/seasonofthegeek
Summary: Fourteen prompts with fourteen different ships to celebrate Valentine's Day <3Written for the MLValentines2k20 event on Tumblr.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Chloé Bourgeois/Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Chloé Bourgeois/Nino Lahiffe, Félix Graham de Vanily/Kagami Tsurugi, Ivan Bruel/Mylène Haprèle, Luka Couffaine/Nathaniel Kurtzberg
Comments: 19
Kudos: 73





	1. Mylene and Ivan

Ivan took in a deep breath to steady himself and then carefully added the delicate braid of pink candy floss to his sculpture. He sat back to admire his work with a satisfied nod and reached for the next braid of candy floss done in blue. He’d spent hours practicing making the fragile braids, training his thick fingers to do the nimble work.

He could hear his aunt moving about the kitchen around him but she was keeping as quiet as she could. She knew how much this project meant to him. 

He’d come to her over a month ago, desperate for an idea on how to create something wonderful for Mylene for Valentine’s Day. They had a tradition of handmade gifts and though she was always sweet when he made her yet another mix CD of songs that made him think of her, he wanted to do something special this year. They’d been together five Valentine’s Days now and he wanted to be able to really show his girlfriend what she meant to him, how important and special she was to him. That’s when he’d shown up at his aunt’s chocolate and sweets shops and begged for help.

“It’s looking good,” Yvonne commented, keeping her voice soft. “I’m still amazed at how you’re working the hair.”

Ivan stuck his tongue between his teeth for concentration as he gingerly dabbed a drop of water against the newest braid to keep the end in place. He exhaled in relief when it stuck. “The candy floss reminds me of Lene’s hair and it comes in the right colors.” He tugged the work lamp closer and leaned down. “I think I only need to add a few more.”

“She’s going to love it, Ivan.”

“I hope so. I just wanted to do something unique for her.” He eyed the candy version of Mylene that had taken him over eighteen hours to construct even after all the practice and training. “She deserves something special.”  
___

“Does it fit okay?” Mylene circled Ivan and tugged at the thick wool cardigan he was wearing. “I left myself a little wiggle room in case I didn’t get the measurements right.”

“It’s perfect.” Ivan knew he was blushing as he raised his arms from side to side so his smaller girlfriend could continue around him and inspect the sweater. “It’s really soft.”

“I spun and dyed the yarn myself,” she replied proudly, stopping her rounds. “It took a whole lot of yarn but it was worth it. You look cozy and warm. Finally.”

He laughed. “Thanks, Lene. I’ll be sure to wear it so you don’t worry anymore.”

“You better. I won’t have you getting pneumonia just because you don’t like wearing coats. This is an Ivan-special with big pockets and lots of room and made just for you.” She bit her lip and blinked up at him hopefully. “Do you really like it?”

“I love it,” he promised. “I’ll wear it every day this winter.”

“Oh! I almost forgot.” She looked down at her own sweater and pulled off a blue button with a white bird that matched the one on her bag. “I ordered a second one so you would have one of my favorite things too.” She pinned it to his sweater and stepped back with a smile.

Ivan’s gaze went to the band button he’d given her so long ago, moved from her bandanna to her bag and lovingly sewn into place so it couldn’t be lost. Mylene giggled and interrupted his thoughts. 

“You didn’t hear anything I just said, did you?”

He ducked his head shyly. “Sorry. I think I’m just nervous about your present.”

“Then maybe you should just go ahead and give it to me.” Her eyes lit up with excitement and Ivan picked up the box from where he’d set it on the table before she’d demanded he immediately try on the sweater.

“It’s kinda fragile,” he warned, handing it to her. His stomach felt all bubbly and his face was burning as he watched her carefully unwrap the box. 

“Ivan...this is...” Mylene looked into the acrylic case Ivan had put the candy figurine in with wide eyes. “This is me!” Her lips spread into an even wider smile as she took in all the details. “You made this?!”

He shifted his weight and stuffed his hands into the pockets of the cardigan, finding they were big and deep just as she’d promised. “Uh, yeah,” he answered with another duck of his head. “Yvonne taught me a lot of stuff. I’ve been at her shop most days between classes when we haven’t been hanging out.” He finally met her eyes again and was shocked to see tears trailing down her cheeks. “Oh, if you don’t like it, I can do something else!”

She sniffled and laughed, hugging the box to her chest while being careful to keep it upright. “You silly man, I’m crying because I love it so much.”

“Really? You do?”

“Ivan, this is amazing. People would pay for something like this. I never knew you liked doing this kind of thing.”

He scratched at the back of his neck awkwardly. “I didn’t really know I did until I tried. I went to my aunt to see if she had some good ideas and she’s the one that got me to give candy sculpting a try.”

“Well, this is my most favorite Valentine’s gift ever. Actually, my most favorite gift ever, period.” She went up on the tips of her toes and Ivan leaned down for the kiss. “Happy Valentine’s Day, my Ivan.”

He cupped her cheek, using his large thumb to wipe away the happy tears. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mylene. I love you.”


	2. Luka and Nathaniel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Love

Nathaniel shifted his weight from leg to leg as he stood at the edge of his exhibit. The gallery was still filled with patrons but few stayed in his section, choosing to move on after brief glances. He hadn’t even worked up the courage to talk to anyone who stayed more than a few seconds. He was counting down the minutes until he could escape and never attempt to display his art in a public space ever again. 

He only had himself to blame for his lack of guests, he decided. He’d been so nervous about inviting his friends that he’d waited until the last possible minute, mere hours before the show began, to tell them about it. He’d received mostly condolences for not being able to make it on such short notice and cheers of good luck on the group text and struck it down as another feat of self-sabotage in the Book of Kurtzberg. 

He never should’ve agreed to a gallery showing anyway. He’d let his fellow artists at the co-op studio he’d rented space in convince him to join them in the gallery show. His work was...different though. It was too bright, too pop, and it made him feel silly and vulnerable. He wasn’t a real artist. No one was even stopping to pay his pieces any attention. 

“I hope we’re not too late.”

Nathaniel looked up to see Luka, Juleka, and Rose staring at him with sheepish expressions.

“Mr. Fluffington got out of his cage and he was hopping all over the boat and it took forever to catch him!” Rose exclaimed, clasping her hands under her chin. “We’re so sorry we missed the first half of your show, but look! I love your art!” She moved past him to get closer to his biggest piece done in deep purples and bright blues, yellows, and red. Juleka followed her girlfriend with a mumbled greeting and half-smile in Nathaniel’s direction.

“That rabbit could really move,” Luka said with a soft laugh. “I’m not going to be sad when Rose takes it back to her place. How’s the show been?”

_Abysmal._

_Devastating._

_My worst fear come to life._

“It’s been fine,” Nathaniel lied, pasting on a tight smile. “You guys really didn’t have to come all the way down here for this.” He looked back at his wall in disappointment. “I’m a little embarrassed I even told anyone about it.”

Luka considered his words and moved closer to the paintings without a reply. Nathaniel could feel his skin growing hotter with shame. Rose was cooing over the painting he’d done in shades of pink and black and that eased his pain. He’d painted it with Rose and Juleka in mind, after all.

Their love was an inspiration to him. The openness between them, their equal acceptance of each other’s likes and dislikes, the easy way they flowed together as if they’d been two halves of a whole from the very beginning. He hoped they could see how much they meant to him in that painting. 

“There’s a theme,” Luka finally said, his voice soft. “But I can’t see it. I think it’s personal to you. I know it’s there, but...”

Rose and Juleka had moved to the other end of his wall and were lingering there, faced out to the rest of the gallery as if choosing their next location. Nathaniel watched them for a minute before returning his attention to Luka. He couldn’t seem to force his brain to comprehend what the other man was saying.

“A theme?”

A light blush painted Luka’s cheeks. “There’s not a theme?”

“I don’t...” Nathaniel frowned. “I didn’t think there was. I just like using bright colors.”

“Oh, uh, sorry.” He ducked his head shyly. “I have to admit, I don’t really know much about art. I guess I was just getting a common feeling about all of them.”

_That they’re trash?_

_Mediocre?_

_Not really art?_

Nathaniel clenched his teeth, trying to quiet the hateful words in his head. “I guess I was thinking of different people when I painted them. Maybe that’s it.”

Luka nodded. “I understand that. Sometimes when I’m playing a song, different parts of it come together when I think of certain people.” He took a few steps back and looked at the wall. “And then you put it all together and get something amazing.”

Nathaniel looked from Luka to the wall and then back to Luka, eyes widening slightly. “Amazing?”

“I think so,” he shrugged. “Like I said, I don’t know much about art, but this is really beautiful. And that’s all art needs to be sometimes, right?”

The artist took a few steps back so he was in line with Luka and tried to look at his wall as a whole instead of in pieces. It took multiple attempts but then he started to see it. The colors flowed from canvas to canvas and he remembered the feelings he had when he was painting each one. “Love,” he murmured.

“Hmm?”

“I think the theme is love. I just didn’t realize it.” Nathaniel’s mouth hung open. “How did I not see it?”

“Sometimes you’ve just gotta step back and take a beat.”

Nathaniel looked down at the feet, noting the interesting design on Luka’s sneakers. Had he ever really seen them before? What else had he missed about him? “Yeah...yeah, I guess you do.” He met the other man’s eyes. “I can’t thank you guys enough for coming tonight. You have no idea....” He shook his head, feeling his face flame up in a blush. “Thank you,” he managed, throat tight.

“Thanks for inviting us. There’s not enough beauty in the world.” Luka ducked his head shyly. “So I appreciate you bringing more of it to life.”

Unsure if he could even form words, Nathaniel simply nodded in reply, hoping Luka understood how much his statement meant. He looked back up at his exhibit wall, at the love and beauty he’d created, and realized that the hateful voices in the back of his mind weren’t making a peep.


	3. Marinette and Chat Noir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Flowers

“Your friendly neighborhood Chat Noir is here to deliver joy and happiness to students all day,” Chat Noir announced with a bow. He lifted his head enough to shoot a quick wink at Marinette. “Or at least for the next hour while I hand out these flower-grams.”

She laughed and shook her head. “Truly only a job a hero could do. Thanks for filling in again today. Ladybug let me know that you would be taking her place. I hope you don’t mind pulling doing this two days in a row.”

“It’s fun. How could I mind?” He plucked one of the roses from its small vase and twirled the stem between his fingers. “Are any of these flower-grams for you during this week of love, Princess?”

Marinette blushed and kept her eyes on her clipboard as she counted the names to compare to the bouquets. “I don’t think so. That’s okay though. Alya sent me one that I took home while we were organizing and it was beautiful.”

Chat Noir frowned and dropped the rose back into place. “Wait, you really don’t have another one coming to you?” He peered over her shoulder at the clipboard. “Tomorrow’s the last day, right?”

“Yeah, and there’s only a few left on the list for tomorrow so it shouldn’t be too bad. I think Carapace is coming to help. Besides, I’ve gotten my fill of flowers trying to organize this thing. I wasn’t even supposed to be doing it today but Mylene is out sick so I had to take over the shift.”

“Yeah, but you should’ve gotten another bouquet. I know you should’ve. Do you have tomorrow’s list? Maybe I can check for you.”

She blinked in surprise. “How would you know if someone sent me flowers?”

Chat Noir’s eyes widened and he took a step back, replacing his confused look with a flirting smile. “It’s just that I’m shocked you wouldn’t have more admirers, that’s all. Did you send any to anyone?”

At that, Marinette held the clipboard closer to her chest. “That’s not really your business, Kitty. Now, we need to start loading up the first cart to take to Ms. Mendeleiev’s room.”  
___

Chat Noir smiled and flirted and preened as he passed out the bouquets among the students. He took selfies and joked and tried his best to make it a good day for everyone he came in contact with.  
And all the while, he kept watching Marinette. 

Her good mood had started to fade after their trip to Ms. Bustier’s room and Chat Noir hadn’t missed the vase of flowers that Marinette had moved to the bottom shelf of the cart after looking over the room. He wanted to find out who they were for. Mylene had been the only one out sick but she’d already commented on that and wouldn’t have brought any of her flowers along. Had she brought them for someone and decided not to give them after all?

“I think that’s all for today,” Marinette said as she wheeled the cart back into the empty classroom they’d been using for the flower storage. “Thanks for your help, Chat Noir. It was definitely easier with a partner and everyone really enjoyed getting to see you.”

“I loved getting to help. You and I make a good team, Marinette.” His eyes went to the green and yellow bouquet at the bottom of the cart once more. “I hope you had a good time too.”

“I did,” she nodded but her voice was only half-convincing. “I’m just tired. This has been a lot to put together.”

“You did a great job.”

She gave him a small smile. “Thanks.”

“I couldn’t help but notice that there’s a vase on the cart that we didn’t give out. Was the student not here?”

Marinette pursed her lips. “Uh, no, he wasn’t. It was probably for the best though. I don’t know that I could’ve given them to him anyway.”

His heart began to beat a little quicker. “Why not?”

“I get all goofy around him.” She rolled her eyes with a small self-deprecating laugh. “I was almost relieved he wasn’t here but disappointed too. It’s fine though. It worked out the way it was supposed to, I guess.”

“What’s his name?” Chat Noir asked, trying his hardest to sound casual when he was dying inside of curiosity and hope.

"I don’t think I’m going to tell you.” Her lips pursed in amusement. “I don’t trust you, Chat Noir. You think you’re Cupid.”

“That’s a rude thing to say. I really am Cupid.”

She laughed and set the clipboard on the mostly empty cart. “Well, I need to get to class. Thanks again for all your help. I hope you’ve had a great Valentine’s Day.”

“I have,” he nodded. “I think tomorrow might be even better.”

“Is that so?”

“Just a hunch,” he winked.

She smiled and grabbed her backpack before making her way out of the room. Chat Noir waited a few beats before he turned to check the clipboard. He flipped a few pages and he found the orders to go out the following day. He searched for Marinette’s name until he found a line written in different handwriting with the recipient and gifter both listed as “secret” and a note that only Alya could deliver the flowers. He breathed out a sigh of relief. Then Alya had come through when he’d ordered the flowers in the hopes that Marinette wouldn’t have to bring herself her own flowers.

He hummed under his breath as he reached down to pull out the small vase and find the tag attached to it. He ran his gloved thumb along “Adrien” written in Marinette’s neat script and he felt warm and happy. He let his transformation fall and took the vase with him to his locker to hide away until he could get it home. He wasn’t sure how he would explain it if Marinette caught him but hopefully when she got her flowers from him tomorrow, it would all be okay. And as for Chat Noir knowing that she would have flowers coming her way, well, maybe that would be a conversation for another day.


	4. Chloe and Nathaniel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Secret Admirer
> 
> I decided to go with an AU where they both work at the mall and the Valentine’s rush is real.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. I'm still alive. I will try to finish these if I can. :)

Chloe watched the group of lost-looking men wander around the jewelry cases from her spot across the mall atrium. She was taking her lunch break but things had been so hectic that she’d opted for staying in sight of the store just in case she was needed in a managerial capacity. She sipped her Diet Coke and judged the clueless customers.

“You don’t even try to hide how dumb you think they all are,” a voice remarked and Nathaniel settled down beside her. “Not a very good business practice.” He balanced a greasy cardboard box on one knee while he opened his straw and slid it into his cup.

“It isn’t like they see me,” Chloe scoffed, raising her chin. “And I don’t remember asking for company.”

“I don’t remember asking you to take over my lunch bench just because I said you could sit here one time but you don’t see me complaining. No food again today?” He shook his head. “I don’t know how you do it. I eat all day.”

“I don’t know how you do,” she replied, pointedly staring at the large slice of pizza that was revealed as the cardboard box opened. “I bet that thing is just waiting to turn into a grease waterfall as soon as you pick it up.”

He winced and poked at the end of it, his finger coming away shiny. “You might be right, but we get a discount at the food court and I don’t make commission on diamonds.”

“Video games not paying what they used to?” she teased. “Surely the polo and name tag you were means you’re making the big bucks.”

He laughed and readjusted in preparation of eating the pizza. Chloe watched him as inconspicuously as she could. If she was being honest with herself, part of the reason she’d come over to the bench for her break was in the hopes that Nathaniel might take his at the same time. She’d found he was one of the few people that worked in the mall who she could stomach being around. It was bad enough that she’d ended up in retail; having to converse with annoying mall-lifers was most definitely below her.

“So what’s the story?” he asked, voice muffled as he swallowed his first bite of pizza. He gestured to the jewelry store with his slice and droplets of grease fell to the tiled floor in front of their feet.

Chloe pursed her lips, trying to decide the best retort but in the end, ignored his faux pas. “The same as it is every Valentine’s Day. It’s the day before and all the boyfriends and husbands and hopeful secret admirers flock to the jewelry counter for that ‘perfect gift’.” She rolled her eyes. “But you can’t find the perfect gift when you start the day before you’re supposed to give it so I simply try to sell them the most expensive gift.”

“Wait, some of those guys are really buying gifts as secret admirers? That stuff’s expensive. If I bought something like that, I’d want the person I was giving it to to know it was from me.” He took a long drag of his soda. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“I don’t get the feeling that you’re the romantic type.”

He shot her an offended look. “I just don’t think that’s romantic.”

Chloe quirked an eyebrow. “So getting a woman jewelry isn’t romantic? Do you even hear yourself?”

“First of all, that’s not what I said, but yeah, the way these guys are doing it, it isn’t romantic. I bet you’ll be even busier tomorrow, won’t you?”

“Yeah, I’m doing a full shift today and tomorrow. We’re usually lined out of the shop.” She tugged at the edge of her blazer. She needed to get back soon. “The commissions are great though so it’ll be worth it. But you’re right. It’s all just a big show. Valentine’s Day isn’t about romance, not really. It’s just another day where I make a little extra money.”

“I don’t know. I guess it just feels like they’re checking off a list or something. But I do like Valentine’s. It’s kinda fun.” He balled up a grease-stained napkin and dropped it on the bench between them. “If I was wanting to do something for someone on Valentine’s Day, even if I was trying to be a secret admirer for someone, I think I’d do a bit more planning. it’s supposed to be special.”

Chloe laughed and knew it was a bitter sound. “That sounds really cute but I’ve been doing this too long to believe a man who says stuff like that.”

“The jewelry business jaded you, huh?”

Her lip curled up. “Was that a pun?”

Nathaniel blinked and realization lit up his eyes. “I guess it was,” he grinned. “Nice.”

Chloe wanted to be annoyed but there was just something about him that made her laugh. She shook her head to hide her smile as she stood. “You’re ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.”

“Yeah, maybe.” He looked down so his red hair swung down over his eye as he studied the mangled crust leftover from his pizza.

“But it’s nice to hear someone say things like that, even if it is a load of crap,” she sighed, picking up her drink. “I’ll see you around, Nathaniel.”

“Happy hunting,” he replied with a small smile, meeting her eyes before she turned to head back to work. 

By the time she’d gotten back into the swing of things and looked back across the atrium, the bench was empty. Nathaniel had presumably gone back to the gaming store he worked at just down the wing and Chloe couldn’t decided if she was disappointed or relieved. 

Although she did agree that the whole secret admirer thing was rather silly when expensive jewelry was involved, she thought that maybe she wouldn’t mind it so much if Nathaniel ended up being the one to give it to her. She concocted an entire story in her head that he’d come in when she wasn’t working and purchased something from one of her co-workers, swearing them to secrecy.

She had to laugh at herself. It was ridiculous to think he saw her that way and they’d only just talked about secret admirers. The likelihood of him being hers was too silly to contemplate. Besides, she’d actually enjoyed his speech about planning and wanting things to be special so if somehow he did pull something off for Valentine’s Day, she wasn’t going to like it.

Not even a little.

She allowed herself to be swept away in the holiday frenzied fantasy of Nathaniel confessing his love for her in some spectacular way for a few more minutes and then packed those thoughts away. She’d only end up making herself angry when nothing happened the following day.  
___

Chloe gripped her coffee cup tightly as she made her way through the maze of display cases. Her office door was already unlocked, courtesy of the assistant manager on duty and she was surprised to find a simple envelope lying on the keyboard of her computer.

“It was taped to the security gate when I got in,” the other manager explained in passing.

Chloe took a long drink of her coffee before she carefully opened the envelope, extracting a thick sheet of folded paper. There was a detailed drawing of her sitting atop a large diamond. She smiled at the little winged diamonds flying around her drawn counterpart’s head and then her eyes found the cramped writing in the bottom right corner. 

“I hope your day isn’t so busy you don’t get to enjoy Valentine’s. Keep on shining like a diamond (that was too corny, huh?). If you want to grab some actual food, I’m closing tonight too. We can make fun of couples trying to get last minute reservations. There was very little planning to this so it doesn’t count. You can’t give me a hard time. It’s not a real date.”

It was signed “your not-so-secret-admirer”. 

Chloe spotted the stylized “NK” near the bottom of the large diamond tip and felt her smile grow wider. Not so secret indeed. She was definitely going to give him a hard time and it was definitely going to be a real date. He would just have to come to terms with that if he wanted to spend Valentine’s Day with her. 

She knew she was blushing when she finally left the office to start working out front and she wondered if Nathaniel would come sit on the bench across from the store soon. She hoped he would. Maybe this Valentine’s stuff wasn’t so bad after all.


	5. Chloe and Nino

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Hearts
> 
> Nino is a tattoo artist and Chloe is recently single and looking to make a big change.

“Obviously I want a design created specifically for me,” Chloe said, holding her chin high. “And no one else would ever be able to get the same tattoo. I’ll buy the copyright or however you do it. Do you have someone who does that here?” She eyed the tattooed man behind the desk. “And I mean someone good. I don’t want some art student who thinks this is his big break. If you can’t give me perfection, I can go somewhere else.”

“You said you want a heart?”

“Not just a heart,” she sneered. “I want it to be an intricate design.”

“Sure, sure.” The man lifted his eyebrows in amusement. “Just hold your horses, Princess. I’ll see who we have in today.”

“I said the best, not just who’s available,” she yelled after him as he disappeared down the hall. “This is ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.” She lifted her phone and pretended she didn’t care there were no new notifications on her lock screen. 

She dropped her phone back into her clutch and gazed around the tattoo parlor lobby. Large picture frames housed a variety of designs the average person could walk in off the street and request but Chloe was obviously above that. Even if she didn’t know exactly what she wanted her tattoo to look like, she knew she didn’t want it to be a copy. 

She wanted something exciting and fresh. This was the beginning of her new life and her tattoo should represent that. And it couldn’t be boring because no matter what Gerard said as he demanded her engagement ring back, she wasn’t boring.

She was Chloe Bourgeois and she wasn’t going to forget that again. No one was ever going to love her more than she loved herself, and this tattoo would always be a reminder.

“You’re looking for a heart design?”

Chloe spun on her heels and took in the man before her as recognition slipped into place. “Nino Lahiffe?”

Nino blinked, eyes widening behind his glasses. “Chloe?” He laughed and scratched the back of his neck. “I didn’t expect to see you in here, well, ever. How have you been?”

“Since when do you have tattoos?” She crossed her arms in the hopes that it would distract from how much she was staring. Dark designs covered his bare arms, intricate lines disappearing under the sleeves of his shirt.

“Uh, a few years now, I guess?” He laughed again and dropped his arm. “It kind of comes with the territory. Did you want to come back to my booth?”

She glanced around as if undecided. “You’re the best this place has to offer?”

A hint of wryness crept into his expression. “Nope.”

“Well, I suppose I’ll look at some of your work before I decide.”

He shook his head in amusement. “Right this way then.”  
___

“So, wait. I can’t get the tattoo today? What’s the point of even being here then?! I thought I could just get it done right now.” Chloe glared at Nino.

He held his hands up in defense. “Hey, I’m just telling you my process. I commission designs from a friend-- you remember Nathaniel from school, don’t ya?-- and then I do the tattoo when he’s finished. It’s well worth it for original work. He actually is the best.”

“Then why wouldn’t I just go to him?”

“Because he’s a traditional artist and I’m a tattoo artist.”

“Sounds like you’re a tattoo tracer.”

Nino laughed again. He couldn’t believe how much he’d been doing that since inviting Chloe back to his booth. “A little column A, a little column B. I do design some tattoos but I keep it pretty simple honestly. What you want sounds like something more up his alley.”

He took in her irritated expression. “Hey, you can go to another parlor and they might slap some heart design wherever you want it today but there’s no guarantee that they won’t put the same exact design on the next pretty blonde that walks in the door wanting it. I don’t do doubles on original designs. You’ll own it.”

He pursed his lips, bracing for her reaction to his next words. “It’ll give you some time to decide if this is something you really want too.”

Chloe’s eyes narrowed even further. “Of course it’s something I want.”

“I’m just saying that sometimes big life events can make a person think they need to shake it up and do something crazy and get a tattoo when all they really need is a little time to adjust.”

“And how many big life events have you had?” she accused, poking a blossoming rose tattoo on his arm.

“A few,” Nino admitted. “But most of these are just because I think they’re cool and a friend needed to practice.”

Chloe considered that and let her eyes wander around the designs taking up his entire right arm as she spoke. “My fiance broke things off two days ago. He said he couldn’t imagine spending the rest of his life with a boring, spoiled brat like me after all.” She met Nino’s eyes with a hard look as if daring him to agree. “Apparently I wasn’t all that much fun after the thrill of catching me was gone.”

“Sounds like a complete douche,” Nino said with a shrug. “Probably lucky you got out.”

“I’m just angry I’m not the one who left him first. I forgot who I was and what I’m worth. I just became who he wanted me to be.” She dropped her gaze from Nino’s tattooed arm to her intertwined fingers in her lap. “I want this tattoo to remind me that I’m still me. Does that make sense?” She felt silly and vulnerable but there was something about seeing the small line of musical notes along Nino’s wrist that reminded her of why she was there in the first place.

He seemed to follow her line of thinking as he rubbed at the music notes with his other hand. “Yeah, I get what you mean exactly.” He sat back in his chair, the springs squeaking with the action and breaking the quiet tension in the room. “I have to say though, I don’t think a heart is the way to go.”

Thankful for the change in subject, Chloe sat back in her own seat and pursed her lips thoughtfully. “What do you propose?”

“Well, you were always the queen in school, right? Doesn’t seem like that’s changed much.” He grinned and was glad when he saw her smile in return. “Seems only right you get a crown.”

“I do deserve a crown,” she agreed. “A really pretty one.”

“Obviously.”

“You think Nathaniel’s up to it?”

Nino winked. “Don’t worry, Chlo. By the time we finish this, no one will question who rules supreme.”

Chloe knew she was blushing and hoped Nino just took it for excitement. “I like the way you think, Lahiffe. I believe this is the beginning of a very successful partnership.”

“Can’t think of a better kind.”


	6. Felix and Kagami

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Crush

“Adrien isn’t here today. He had a photo shoot so he texted me earlier that he’d be missing fencing practice.” Kagami watched the subtle shift in Felix’s expression. His cheeks darkened only slightly and his mouth kept its usual downturn tilt but there was something more guarded about it than usual. “Unless you aren’t waiting for him,” she added, voice even.

Felix cleared his throat and snapped his book shut. He stood from his place on the stairs and brushed imaginary dirt from his slacks. “My mistake,” he said, walking past her without a second look.

She watched him leave and couldn’t decided if she was more amused or annoyed with his response.  
___

“Your cousin seems quite interested in fencing,” Kagami mentioned before lunging at Adrien with her foil.

He stepped away with a laugh. “What do you mean?”

She nodded towards the stairs where Felix sat in his usual space, a book in his lap as he pretended to ignore them. “He’s spending so much time here, I’m surprised he hasn’t requested to try to join the team.” 

“Felix hates fencing. He used to do it when we were kids but quit as soon as his father let him.”

“I see.”

“See what?” he asked curiously, glancing towards the stairs. “I didn’t even realize he was coming. Has he been here a lot?”

Taking advantage of her opponent’s confusion, she knocked him to the floor with a quick move. 

Adrien pushed his mask up and blinked at her. 

Kagami pushed her own mask up and lifted an eyebrow. “Too rough?”

“I’m not sure.” A smile pulled at his lips. “Can’t very well ask you to go easy on me though.” He pushed his mask back down and stood.

“Not if you want to ever take the top spot away from me,” she agreed, donning her own mask once more.

Neither noticed Felix’s open observation of their exchange and the way his lips pursed in jealousy.  
___

Kagami watched Felix take up his usual spot on the stairs. She knew Adrien would be missing practice again and she had a sneaking suspicion Felix knew it as well. It bothered her that he kept showing up and watching them. Perhaps bothered wasn’t the correct word but she couldn’t decide on a better one at the moment.

She grabbed her foil and crossed the space to the stairs, keeping her chin high. When Felix didn’t acknowledge her presence, she pointed the tip of her foil against the words he was attempting to read.

With a put upon sigh, Felix looked up at her, expression unreadable.

Almost unreadable.

Once again, there was a telltale blush flushing across his cheeks. 

“If you’re going to watch this much, you should practice with us.” Kagami kept the point of her foil as stiff as she could against his book. “You can wear Adrien’s uniform. He keeps an extra in his locker.”

Felix’s lips thinned and he pushed the foil away with the tip of his finger so he could close his book. “No thank you,” he ground out as he stood.

“Then why do you keep coming?”

“Maybe I simply like reading here and only put up with the noise of your fencing practice because my attempt to get it moved elsewhere failed.”

She studied him, eyes narrowed. “Maybe.”

They stared at each other, neither willing to be the first to break. Finally after a long moment, Felix dropped his eyes and pretended to fuss with his book. 

“What are you reading?” she asked with a nod.

“Nothing of importance.” He moved the book a little behind him. “A bit of old poetry. I took it from Uncle Gabriel’s library.”

“I see.” She half-smiled. “Without permission, I’m guessing. He doesn’t seem like the poetry type, or the type to lend books.”

“There are all kinds of poems,” Felix shrugged. “And I’m not the type to ask for permission so it works.”

“I suppose.” She glanced back to see the other fencing students beginning to file into the area. “Are you going somewhere else to read?”

He looked down at the book and his blush deepened. “I’m not sure. Why would you care?”

“I think that perhaps I’ll take a break from fencing for today. I should be out in a few minutes.” With that, she turned away from him and went towards the locker room, her heart pounding in her chest.

There was something about him that put her on edge and at ease at the same time. Although he looked a lot like Adrien, the feeling she got from being around each of them was completely different. She found herself wanting to know how it felt to be around Felix a bit more. She spent her days between practices wondering if he was going to be sitting on the stairs with his book and it took a girl chat with Marinette and Alya to wake her up to the possibilities of why he would do that.

There was something about his stiff and awkward replies to her questions that had her hoping he’d still be waiting once she emerged from the locker room. She knew she should set herself up for disappointment but her excitement at exploring these new feelings kept her hope up. She’d confused her earlier feelings for Adrien and belatedly realized what she wanted from his was friendship. This felt different from that and she didn’t think it was only on her end.  
Kagami inhaled deeply and took a quick look in the mirror. She smoothed her hair and bit her bottom lip, wishing she could make the blush on her cheeks fade a bit, but she didn’t want to take too long for fear that Felix might not wait. With a hesitant, hopeful smile to her reflection, she stepped away and went for the locker room door.

Her heart dropped when she saw the empty stairs. The unreadable mask she’d perfected over the years was already slipping into place when she heard a strained cough to her left.

“There’s a cafe I like,” Felix said, stepping away from the wall. “If you’re interested.”

“Would you simply be telling me where it is or going with me?” She wasn’t sure where her bravery had come from but she made a note to tell Alya about it when she had the chance. She thought the other girl might be proud.

Felix’s mouth gaped open for half a second before he was looking away from her, face red. “I would go as well, of course,” he muttered.

“Lead the way then, please.” She smiled and knew she was sporting a matching blush as they left the school together.


End file.
